Plastic is a lubricant for globalization

Beach combers around the world find more plastic than any other detritus. The trash which washes up is the same: plastic bottles, cutlery, plates, cups, straws, stirrers and packaging…conveniences from our disposable lifestyle which the whole world seems to be adopting.


As our material world spreads, what is lost culturally?
Mass produced plastic goods are cheap, both in price and quality.

It encourages throw away culture at the expense of long lasting traditions. However, this “empty abundance” is not nearly so satisfying. We become more homogenized, and loose unique cultural identities which have been developed over centuries.


On a global level, the responsibility for waste is not shared equally.
Most recycled plastic is shipped to China or India

We import a lot of cheap manufactured plastic goods from China. Container ships offer a discounted rate for taking plastic “scrap” back to China intead of returning empty.

Cheap labor and few workers rights or environmental standards allow for the processing of used plastics, even as it is harmful to the health of the people and the environment. We are essentially exporting some of the most dramatic impacts of the plastic lifestyle and subject others to the poisons of the material. In China, workers who manufacture plastic on a mass scale are not only exposed to carcinogens, they also lead a very difficult life for very little pay. Because there is a set structure to material and production costs, labor is one of the few ways that businesses can trim costs to make their products cheaper.

Many places around the world are coming up with good solutions with our plastic problems

Mumbai, India banned the disposable shopping bag because they clogged drains, increasing the impact of monsoon floods. Bangladesh, Taiwan, Kenya, Rwanda, Mexico City & parts of China have also banned the use of plastic shopping bags.
Ireland imposed a bag tax which reduced consumption by 94%

More than 30 countries have “take back” laws where producers are required to handle the end of life for their products. Sweden recycles 80% of their PET bottles because of a bottle bill which was developed on a national level. Because manufacturers in Germany were made responsible for the waste of their products, the country recovers nearly all of their packaging waste.

In Eusrope, a chemical is considered dangerous until it is demonstrated to be safe.